Our great justice/police system part 2

[MIRK]

like so say i had a guy run up the rear of my car only $600 damage, he took off strait away so i chaced him, young idiot dodnt know how to drive so wasnt hard to keep up, the fool ran in the direction of home i guess cos he ended up crashed again into the back of his fathers 4x4 right outside of their place, he then took off on foot around the back yard and got away. cops took half an hour to turn up even tho we were telling them where we were by cell phone chaceing him all the way. then his father tries to defend him. long and short his car was a 3k write off and mine got repaired at his fathers expense. really got me thinking what you teach your children these days. this was like getting blood out of a stone for me tho.....

[peasea]

Come Ixion, they're just kids having fun. Didn't you used to have Dad's Model T up on two wheels when you were a teenager?

In the course of my work I went out on the 'rampage' with some boy racers a few years back, probably 04, I'd need to check, but it was amazing. A few skids went down with a dozen or so cars about 1.00am, then they all scattered and jumped into their cars. the text thing had just taken hold and everyone headed for Walters Rd in (I think) Papakura, by the netball courts etc. Huge carparks and whatnot. I have never seen so many vehicles assembled in one spot for an impromtu gathering! The traffic went forever and the tailights we saw along the road on the way there looked like luminous crazy string.

There were about 1500 vehicles and well over 2,000 people there, mostly (I have to admit) well behaved. I'm not really into Jap cars but some of these things were serious in so many ways, bling and power. A few dorks started pulling skids, nobody hurt except perhaps for one guy in a Mazda who put his dunga in a ditch. Much mirth etc., bruised ego, nothing more.

It was starting to wind down at about 3.30am when the police arrived. A squad car was positioned pretty much centrally and over the PA came the bellowed command to "disperse". Bottles started flying and the whole scene went downhill from there. All exits were promptly blocked and WOF, rego and license checks were done until dawn. Huge resources, little return. Sure one or two were picked up for driving dunga's (ever done that in your teen years???) and there were a few drinking that were well under age. Big deal. Even we got hassled in a stock-standard Commodore, fully legal and in my late forties!

I thought afterward (as did my lady) that the time and effort involved was not worth it. As I said, it was winding down by 3.30-ish and if they'd been left alone I think the vast majority would have been gone an hour later. I wonder who made the call to turf them out and (basically) start a fight? As an observer, there for a reason, I thought then, and still do, the police have better things to do.

C'mon Scummy.....comment?

[peasea]

If I caught some F**K on my property trying to get into my house to rape my wife or worse steal my bike, I'd shoot 'em.
One of my mates used to live rural and they had major problems with trespassers. He lived with his elderly mother, asked what he should do if someone broke into his house, as they were about an hour away from help, the cop said you have an AR15 sleep with it under the bed, mmmm what does that imply?

It wasn't so long ago a buddy of mine was chilling with his missus in the lounge, the last track on the stereo finished and they were sitting in the candlelight, canoodling when they heard 'crunch, crunch, crunch' on the gravel drive. Mate leaps up, doesn't turn on any lights and spots this jerk trying to get into the garage (where a primo 56 Chevy street machine is housed). Mate grabs bat, sneaks out back door and bashes jerk while wife rings cops. Cops finally arrive but mate is buggered from holding onto jerk. Hats off to cops for turning a blind eye to jerks injuries. Out in the sticks you're really on your own but I think that country bobbies are more inclined to go with the flow, they know the commuinty better and my mate isn't inclined to bash people without good reason.

[scumdog]

I thought afterward (as did my lady) that the time and effort involved was not worth it. As I said, it was winding down by 3.30-ish and if they'd been left alone I think the vast majority would have been gone an hour later. I wonder who made the call to turf them out and (basically) start a fight? As an observer, there for a reason, I thought then, and still do, the police have better things to do.

C'mon Scummy.....comment?

Can't really, wasn't there.

I guess SOMEBODY thought there was reason to move the guys on, maybe when things start to 'wind-down' is the time when things DO get out of hand?? I dunno...??

[peasea]

Can't really, wasn't there.

Fair enough: How long's a piece of string huh?

[peasea]

Can't really, wasn't there.

I guess SOMEBODY thought there was reason to move the guys on, maybe when things start to 'wind-down' is the time when things DO get out of hand?? I dunno...??

I was thinking about re-visiting the scene actually. The local councils appear to be wringing their collective hands over the issue and frontline bobbies are overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of these young'uns. What's wrong with a burnout pad (fully indemnified) in south Akld? Or any other city for that matter. I hear ChCh and Hamilton are two "Areas of concern"............

C'mon, it's gonna happen and the sooner it does the better the community will be for it. Leave the skids at the race track......simple.

They just need a place to make that differential and I have to say; Champion Dragway goes a long way to encourgaing youngsters into motorsport.

[scumdog]

I was thinking about re-visiting the scene actually. The local councils appear to be wringing their collective hands over the issue and frontline bobbies are overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of these young'uns. What's wrong with a burnout pad (fully indemnified) in south Akld? Or any other city for that matter. I hear ChCh and Hamilton are two "Areas of concern"............

C'mon, it's gonna happen and the sooner it does the better the community will be for it. Leave the skids at the race track......simple.

They just need a place to make that differential and I have to say; Champion Dragway goes a long way to encourgaing youngsters into motorsport.

I've sort of 'been-there-done-that' regarding the burnout/skids/street racing problem and made a couple of observations:

(1)Drags: Most of the 'boy racer' types are not so keen on an organised drag race, their 12 second car somehow ends up doing a low 16 second 1/4 mile and everybody who knows them will see they're full of crap. Also a certain amount would struggle to get their car through scrutineering.

(2)Burnouts: You aren't allowed to have mates in the car with you in the car or have them lifting the drive end of the car up/ put oil or water on the road surface to get the car going if you're on a designated burn-out pad. Again there is the 'mates will see how piss-poor it really is' factor.

(3) Circuit racing - Again can't take mates, everybody would see what a crap driver you really are and what crap your car REALLY is, also to be competetive you would have to knowingly be prepared to risk bending your pride-and-joy.

Generally the negative side of the organised car contests is the fact they ARE organised, you need safety gear and you can't do them with your mates in the car with you. (and as a cynical note: while they're drunk/stoned with the stereo blaring and throwing their V bottles/stubbies etc out the window while txting at random.)

Those with a real competitive nature will attend organised races/drags and WILL spend money on their car to make it faster, handle better etc instead of on 'bling' and pose crap.

[peasea]

I've sort of 'been-there-done-that' regarding the burnout/skids/street racing problem and made a couple of observations:

(1)Drags: Most of the 'boy racer' types are not so keen on an organised drag race, their 12 second car somehow ends up doing a low 16 second 1/4 mile and everybody who knows them will see they're full of crap. Also a certain amount would struggle to get their car through scrutineering.

(2)Burnouts: You aren't allowed to have mates in the car with you in the car or have them lifting the drive end of the car up/ put oil or water on the road surface to get the car going if you're on a designated burn-out pad. Again there is the 'mates will see how piss-poor it really is' factor.

(3) Circuit racing - Again can't take mates, everybody would see what a crap driver you really are and what crap your car REALLY is, also to be competetive you would have to knowingly be prepared to risk bending your pride-and-joy.

Generally the negative side of the organised car contests is the fact they ARE organised, you need safety gear and you can't do them with your mates in the car with you. (and as a cynical note: while they're drunk/stoned with the stereo blaring and throwing their V bottles/stubbies etc out the window while txting at random.)

Those with a real competitive nature will attend organised races/drags and WILL spend money on their car to make it faster, handle better etc instead of on 'bling' and pose crap.

errm, yeah, so just giving up is the answer huh? How about getting involved in what these teens are doing? (Not you personally, I mean parents etc.) Too hard? I give up heaps of hours to spend time with my two teenage daughters, get to know them, their mates and what's going down. Yes, it's expensive, yes it's time consuming and yes, I get on really well with them. My eldest daughter's boyfriend recently made this comment; "you're the best dad ever". Accolades like that don't come from just giving up. Doing a good job of parenting is probably the most important thing in life; get it wrong and the generations that follow will be 'screw-ups'. The job I do at home makes for a 'safer community' and it ultimately makes your job (as a copper) easier.

My girls have grown up around motorcycles and V8's. They have seen the difference between winners and also-rans, they know that to get to the top of a particular class takes time, cash and determination. Sure I get speeding tickets, sure I do skids but I've also shown that REAL power belongs on the track. I've built small block Chevy's that will cover the quarter in seven seconds and I know that the best place for that crap IS the race track! So do my kids. I look at the tossers on Auckland's streets late at night and wonder where the hell their head is at. There is NO direction, no leadership and I can't see any positive parenting anywhere. Teens are powerful people; that power needs to have direction and, given that, they will shine. Stomp on them and they fight back in a most negative fashion, making enemies as they go. The positive aspects (such as are part of Champion Dragway's incentives) need to be supported.

Not so long ago a Christchurch dude was trying to get the 'boy racers' onto the Ruapuna race track but had stumbling blocks put in front of him by the local councils etc. What bollocks is that? Councils, car clubs and even coppers need to be pro-active but in saying that I (again) don't envy the cops, they are faced with what seems to be an insurmountable flow of youngsters (fuelled on alcopops, P and gawd knows what) on a regular basis, doing skids galore and all trying so hard to kill themselves (and others) at high speed. The people above the frontline bobbies (read politicians) need to get behind those folk who are trying to put a positive spin (bad pun I know) on motorsports.

You're quite right Scummy; many of the boy racer cars wouldn't pass muster at organized events but I'm sure that, given time (like drunk driving) not passing muster for a race event will be frowned upon by their peers. It's about education. Teach these buggers how to extract the best from their machine in the safest possible environment and in the end we all will win.

Don't give up; fuck that.

[scumdog]

errm, yeah, so just giving up is the answer huh? How about getting involved in what these teens are doing? (Not you personally, I mean parents etc.) Too hard?
There is NO direction, no leadership and I can't see any positive parenting anywhere. Teens are powerful people; that power needs to have direction and, given that, they will shine. Stomp on them and they fight back in a most negative fashion, making enemies as they go. The positive aspects (such as are part of Champion Dragway's incentives) need to be supported.

You're quite right Scummy; many of the boy racer cars wouldn't pass muster at organized events but I'm sure that, given time (like drunk driving) not passing muster for a race event will be frowned upon by their peers. It's about education. Teach these buggers how to extract the best from their machine in the safest possible environment and in the end we all will win.

Don't give up; fuck that.

The things is peasea, a lot of teenagers don't WANT adult involvement, the reason they get out in their cars and cruise with like aged/like minded mates.

They only want acceptance and approval from others of the same age, they are still to dumb to realise the 'oldies' are the makers'n'shakers of their world

Most of the time if the parent(s) haven't got the kid sorted by the time they're still quite young the kids don't realise there are limitations and consequences in the world.

Too many still have what I call the 'school yard mentality' - they think the world around them is just a big extention of the shool yards they have just spent the last ten+ years of their lives swanning around in where all that counted was their peers and they could do as they liked with little consequence.

It comes as a horrible shock to find out that some people don't accept their childish exscuses, that there are people who WON'T believe their lies, that they DO have to turn up for PD, that they CAN have their car whipped from under their butt and the list goes on..

And some say I'm cynical

BTW I do realise there is a whole lot of good keen responsible kids out there who are a credit to their folks - but these ones are not the ones we are discussing and not the ones I generally meet and who are in the shit to various degrees.

[Patrick]

Last night i was watching tv, when i heard this almight screetch and bang,
.....yet this morning i passed mr plod" as he pulled someone over " lets write another ticket.

Hmmm... gotta state the obvious here... busy last night, not so busy the next day perhaps?

Bad call on the operators part... I am picking they didn't realise that the crash was as bad as it was. The plate being left behind was a gimme and the offenders returning... damn.. all too easy... Gotta love it when that happens, I've had a few like that, (where the plate is left behind...) arrive at their home, breath test, usually over the limit... lets go for a ride...

[Patrick]

Cop Shop close's here in Warkworth at around 5pm and thats it till 8.30 the next day......emergency?... call Orewa
Great right up Zukin/GIXSer.....

You sure? They are on call...

[Patrick]

errm, yeah, .....etc etc...

Don't give up; fuck that.

Good write up, quite right and all...

Unfortunately we are the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, that has to pick up all the pieces. You are lucky with your kids, as I am with mine, but they aren't the ones we have to deal with. They have respect for people and property, many do not respect anything or any one. "Do what you want, no consequences" is the main theme these days.

[peasea]

Good write up, quite right and all...

You are lucky with your kids,

Thanks, but....I'm not sure if I've been "lucky" with my kids there's been a lot of hard work and communcation gone in and at 15 and 17 we're not out of the woods yet.

Respect for other people and their property was taught to them at an early age and YES I smacked their bum when they got it wrong. Now I don't have to smack them, it's like puppy training, get that right and you get a bloody good dog. People who don't discipline their kids from an early age should be prosecuted, not the bum smackers. Sue Bradford and her ilk need a rocket, things will only get worse with all that anti-smacking bollocks.

[peasea]

[QUOTE=scumdog;1024369]The things is peasea, a lot of teenagers don't WANT adult involvement, the reason they get out in their cars and cruise with like aged/like minded mates.


Most of the time if the parent(s) haven't got the kid sorted by the time they're still quite young the kids don't realise there are limitations and consequences in the world.QUOTE]

Quite right, I didn't want my parents looking over my shoulder when I was a teenager either and in fact my parents weren't in the slightest bit interested in what I was doing. They'd go and watch my sisters play netball or dance ballet, go see a play that my brother was acting in but not once did they come and watch us at the track. Sure, I spent most of my time with similarly aged mates but there were one or two older mentors who really made a difference. It's a pity there aren't more around today.

Yes, the kids need to be sorted at an early age or you give yourself a problem for later years.

[Patrick]

Thanks, but....I'm not sure if I've been "lucky" with my kids there's been a lot of hard work and communcation gone in and at 15 and 17 we're not out of the woods yet.

Respect for other people and their property was taught to them at an early age and YES I smacked their bum when they got it wrong. Now I don't have to smack them, it's like puppy training, get that right and you get a bloody good dog. People who don't discipline their kids from an early age should be prosecuted, not the bum smackers. Sue Bradford and her ilk need a rocket, things will only get worse with all that anti-smacking bollocks.

Don't know what else to say... You running for PM???? I'll vote for ya!